A/N: So I've decided that I'm just gonna make this story the cliche-est of cliches since it already has so much cliche and cliche is what I'm most familiar with. Basically your typical shoujo plot. Now, without further ado…
Chapter Three
"So, Mister Turtle Lover, where are we headed?" Hamilton asked brusquely as the pair descended the grand, gold-painted stairs that stretched downward into the front entrance hall.
Laurens frowned. "That's the thing. I told you, I wasn't supposed to be here. My parents aren't going to be happy, to say the least." He sighed and raked a hand through his curls that up until now had been tucked neatly into a ponytail.
"Oh, shit." Hamilton stopped abruptly in his tracks, causing Laurens who had previously been trailing closely behind to bump into the other man.
"Ow! What the heck, Alex-"
"You did not skip out on your own wedding. Crap, I hadn't even considered the possibility but it's so obvious - does that make me your partner in crime? Am I gonna be considered an accomplice now? I'm too young to die, John, there's so much I haven't even-"
"No, God no! I wasn't the one getting married!" Laurens waved his hands in front of himself defensively, inwardly cringing at the thought. "Jeez, Alex, it's way too early for that! How old do you think I am?"
Hamilton tapped his chin like he understood and was backtracking on the idea, then smirked. "I dunno, you seem like the type to be a hopeless romantic."
"Oh my God." An audible facepalm.
"Okay, okay. But then why would your parents care if you ditched? Not your wedding, and weddings get boring. It's really not anything new. You got some batshit overprotective family members or something?" He had meant it as a joke but frowned when he saw the defeated look on Laurens' face. "Fu- did I jinx it? Fuck. Sorry, John, I didn't know. That sucks."
"I mean, it's not all that bad." Laurens rubbed the back of his neck, a little embarrassed now in spite of himself but relieved that his situation was near-painlessly (albeit accidentally) brought out into the open. "It's just- they wanted me to stay with them, just for the summer. I didn't really have a good excuse not to, so I… I told myself I'd put up with it, since it's just for a couple months anyway."
When Hamilton didn't say anything Laurens exhaled sheepishly. "Clearly I'm- I'm not exactly doing a great job." A bitter chuckle.
Silence ensued for a couple moments.
"...I think you're doing a fine job," Hamilton offered slowly, weirdly enough, in a higher octave than normal. Laurens looked up and all the tension left him, replaced with a mixture of amusement and irritation at the assumption that Alex didn't seem to be taking his situation as seriously as he had thought. Fortunately, it was more the former.
Hamilton's mouth was hidden behind the stuffed turtle he was now holding up in front of himself, making it so that the turtle was speaking.
"I think John Laurens is a fine young man and shouldn't be afraid to try and grab hold of the freedom he wants. It's great that he thinks of his family so highly but the man's gotta prioritize his own ideals sometimes, too. Ain't that the truth, Hamilton?"
Hamilton broke out of character to answer himself in his normal, if not speech-and-debate voice he'd unconsciously use whenever he got caught up with himself. "Hell yeah, Mister Turtle, sir. And you know what? People can take and take all the shit they want, but what they can never take away is a person's thoughts, feelings, values - they can take all your belongings and strip you of every physical thing you own but one thing you'll always be in control of is your mind." Hamilton started making big gestures with his free hand, practically shedding charismatic passion all over the place. "How you see things, what colors you decide to paint the worlds in your head with. It's yours alone, no matter what anyone else tells you. Your thoughts, your morals - those can't be restricted. No one can keep you down by making you think a certain way. You're your own fucking person to build up and goddamn it, Laurens, you've built yourself up. Don't stress so much because you're physically limited. Your feelings can never be because they're yours. You only have one life. Stand up for what you believe in and own it like a boss."
Somewhere along his mini rant Hamilton had shifted away from the stuffed toy and to Laurens, eyes sparkling with a familiar passion, and it finally clicked when Laurens came to realize that that fire matched his own.
If Laurens hadn't already, he found himself helpless with growing admiration for the man in front of him, and he was temporarily shocked into silence. But it was the good kind, like having just witnessed a shooting star. Hell, he would've taken Hamilton over the shooting star any day.
He was only able to blink back into reality when Hamilton broke the silence with an awkward chuckle, taking hold of Laurens's wrist. "Sorry. I talk too much, but I meant that. Be happy to give you the speech again whenever, just ask - if you want an extended version too feel free to hit me up, but anyway, come with me? I have an idea," Hamilton rambled on without pausing for Laurens's answer (which wasn't much of a problem because Laurens didn't have much to say anyway) as he led them outside of the venue. When they stood in front of the entrance, Laurens could only internally whine as Hamilton let go of his wrist to pull out a phone from his pocket, an old iPhone 4.
"Holy shit," Laurens whispered to himself under his breath, but Hamilton's ears perked up in response anyway.
"Calling a cab," Hamilton whispered right back.
Laurens was about to ask what for but was sidetracked by his more prominent surprise at Hamilton's phone. "Dude, that thing's ancient."
"Makes calls just fine," Hamilton protested, and was just about to launch into a rant about how people needed to be smarter with their money when it came to the absurd amount of new iPhone releases in such short periods of time when his call got through. He immediately straightened up. "Hello? My friend and I are at…"
Laurens hummed in approval at his being addressed to as a friend, absentmindedly wondering if there'd ever come a day when that title would change. Well, he was getting ahead of himself for the time being, and he decided to just be content with what he had gotten. It was certainly more than he could have hoped for.
Hamilton ended the call and was fiddling with his phone when Laurens forced himself back into his present situation.
"Hey, what's the deal? Are we going somewhere?"
"Just gonna sneak out for a bit. Nothing illegal," Hamilton added with a reassuring chuckle. "The birthday party's basically over so there's no harm. You looked like you wanted to get away. When does your wedding start? I think they were still doing a photoshoot earlier."
"Around evening," John replied, albeit a little guilty now thinking about it. "I was supposed to help, though."
Right, priorities. His family. He certainly didn't want to have to face the wrath of his father. He wanted to avoid that as much as possible.
But leave Hamilton? It'd be like finding a hundred bucks on the ground and just stepping around it. Laurens wasn't an idiot.
So he reluctantly pulled out a sleek iPhone (much nicer and several versions newer than Hamilton's) and clicked the screen on, watching as a new text message popped up (alongside several others) from one of his siblings - something about how Laurens was taking too long in the restroom, if he was okay, where was he, did he get lost because the venue was pretty large.
Laurens felt a rush of adrenaline as he was suddenly struck with an idea - pretty cliche of an excuse, but it'd work since his family already considered the possibility anyway. Newly motivated, Laurens scrolled to his contacts and hit the call button for his sister. Hamilton peeked over his shoulder curiously, obviously wanting to listen in.
"Hello?" The person on the receiving end picked up.
"Martha! Hey," John started, gently elbowing Alexander who wasn't even trying to hide his attempts to hear the conversation.
"Bro!" A younger voice cut in from the other end, which Martha unsuccessfully tried to push away.
"For Christ's sake, Jack, we thought you died."
"Bro, can you hear me? Daddy says you're helping with the wedding but somewhere else, where though because I can come help- Martha!"
"Sorry, Hen is is insufferable," Martha spoke, apparently haven taken away the phone from the younger sibling. "But seriously, where are you? You're the one who's the strongest and you just left us behind to do all the legwork. We're setting up the tables right now."
"Daddy's getting his picture taken with the people getting married!" Henry Laurens Jr. added.
"That's great, guys. Listen, I ran into someone who was lost, and I'm just helping them find their way back." Hamilton grumbled at this but otherwise kept quiet, much to Laurens' relief. "They, uh- it's such a big place. I think they might be in the wrong wing, too."
"Did you show them the map?" Martha suggested sensibly. Laurens winced.
"I, uh… He got lost with the map. He's just a kid."
"Like me! Don't worry, my big bro'll help you," Henry piped up from the background.
Hamilton was throwing him a death glare now but Laurens continued, albeit with a bead of sweat running down his forehead. "Yeah. I'm gonna help him. It might take a while, though. He's- He's so little. Won't stop crying." Couldn't resist.
Hamilton made as to step on Laurens' foot but Laurens spun around just in time to avoid him. "So, uh, can you tell Dad that I might be a little late? I'll be back in time for the wedding, though."
Martha made an unconvinced noise but nodded anyway, although Laurens couldn't see her. "Fine. Promise you'll be back?"
"Promise."
"And you'll call me again later?"
"I'll call you again later if my phone doesn't die."
"Jack, seriously."
"I'm being serious-"
"Your brother's going on a little trip but I'll send him right back to you when we're done okay bye," Hamilton called out in a non-stop flurry and jerked his head toward the phone in a silent end the call before she starts asking questions again command when Laurens just stared at him in surprise. John fumbled to move the phone away from his ear and hastily punched the 'end call' button before narrowing his eyes at Hamilton.
"Really, Alexander?"
"You were taking too long!" Hamilton held his hands up defensively. "Look, the cab's already here. Didn't wanna make them wait and have to pay more than necessary."
Sure enough, a cab had pulled up some odd feet away at the curb in front of the venue entrance. Well, at least Alexander had a valid point. Laurens wasn't sure he could've stopped himself from strangling him otherwise.
Alexander tilted his head, a disarming smile playing on his lips that seemed to say, 'Forgive me?'
Laurens sighed and stuffed his phone back into his pocket before starting toward the cab, turning his face away so that at the very least Hamilton wouldn't see how he had already softened. It couldn't have been more than a few seconds. "Don't worry about it. I'll pay."
Either Laurens was guilty of being a huge softie or Hamilton had put him under some kind of spell. Shit, what kind of sorcery was Laurens dealing with here? Must be powerful stuff…
"So why did you leave in the first place?" Hamilton asked, trailing behind. When Laurens answered with only a confused look, Hamilton rolled his eyes like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "The wedding thing, I mean. Why did you stay behind?"
"I didn't exactly try to leave," Laurens shrugged. "I don't know. I was planning on heading back later. I just… needed some time to myself."
Alexander nodded, remembering how he had spotted him on that balcony.
"Sorry I just went and ruined your alone time."
"No - it's okay," Laurens corrected him, a little too quickly. "I didn't mind. I don't mind-this. Thank you, for doing this." He put on a smile hastily, but it was real, sweet even. Hamilton wondered in spite of himself if it was possible for Laurens to be any cuter.
"That's good. I don't mind it, either." They reached the cab and Hamilton thoughtfully unlocked the car door for Laurens before going around to climb in on the other side. Before John could ask what his plan was, Hamilton was already barking out an address to the driver - Laurens wasn't entirely familiar with it, but it didn't sound like anything weird like a back alley so he didn't oppose.
The two settled in until they were comfortable in their respective seats while the driver put on some soft country music, which Laurens didn't mind but Hamilton, frankly, just felt awkward with.
"So what's his name?" Hamilton spoke up, itching for conversation to distract him from the music. "The turtle, I mean."
Laurens shrugged. "He's yours now. You should name him."
"I'm only the adoptive father," Hamilton pointed out. "You're the original. The prequel before the series. The cast recording before the remix. The invention before the-"
"Okay, okay! I get it," Laurens laughed out loud and grabbed the toy from where Hamilton was offering it, setting it down on his lap. "Uh, let's see. Since you're the reason I got him in the first place, I'll name him… Alek."
"What? No way," Hamilton said, blatantly failing to hide the amusement and - was that a hint of pride or something else? - in his voice. He reached over for the stuffed turtle to get a better look and placed it in between them.
"I dunno, John, he looks more like a-" Hamilton picked the first name that came to mind, "-an Anthony to me. We could call him Tony for short."
Laurens frowned, in stark contrast to the turtle's permanent, fabric smile.
"Nah. He looks more like an Alek. He has your eyes."
Now it was Hamilton's turn to frown. "I do not have beady little eyes."
Laurens gasped in mock offense and covered Alek's head where his ears would be if turtles had visible ears. "Don't listen to him, Alek. He didn't mean that. Your eyes are perfect."
He started fussing over the stuffed turtle, actually finding himself a little attached to it now instead of just pretending when he felt Hamilton move in close, way too close, and when he turned around to ask what Hamilton's deal was being all up in his personal space, he was all too quickly met with dark, unbearably dark brown orbs that were staring up at him intensely and suddenly Laurens found himself unable to get any words out.
And if Hamilton noticed this, well, he didn't show it because he didn't poke fun at how Laurens had gone silent because of him, didn't call him out on how he just stared right back instead of looking away from Hamilton's piercing gaze.
"So you think my eyes are perfect?" He asked, low and husky. Laurens couldn't tell if it was suggestive or questioning or if all of this was just a joke that he didn't know how to play along with and was taking way too seriously.
"I, uh… I…" He stammered lamely.
"Hmm?"
Laurens gulped and finally turned away, now sweating bullets, but he'd be damned if he didn't at least try to make it look like he was uncomfortable with the current arrangement. Well, he was uncomfortable alright, but for entirely different reasons.
"Y'know what? Never mind. You're right, he doesn't have your eyes. Alek is much cuter."
Hamilton fortunately let up, seemingly satisfied with the reaction he had gotten. He moved back away and Laurens let out an internal sigh of relief. "He might be cuter but I'm at least ten times more attractive. Alek's got nothing on this top notch brain."
"You never back down, do you, Alexander?"
"Nope," Hamilton admitted. "And you do?"
Laurens grinned, but they both knew the answer to that.
Needless to say, the debate over Alek continued for nearly the rest of the ride, country music forgotten.